Daily Thought For April 20, 2015

Having The Right Intention

     The place where we look for holiness is in our work, in our relationships with the people who share the same tasks with us, in our social contacts, and in our families. 
     When we come across obstacles, lack of understanding or unjust criticism, we will ask Our Lord for his grace to keep us calm, and, normally, we will not stop doing apostolate. Our Lord did not always find well-intentioned people when he was spreading the Good News. This never stopped him from talking about the marvels of the kingdom of God. The Apostles, at the beginning of the Church, and the first Christians also, found themselves in situations and environments which, at least at first, completely rejected the doctrine of salvation they had in their hearts, but they still managed to convert the ancient world. Why are you so apathetic? If you come across a group at work who are a bit difficult, you lose interest in them. Perhaps they have become difficult because you have neglected them. Yet you throw in the towel and think of them as a dead weight which holds back your apostolic ideals because they do not understand you. .. You may love and serve them with your prayer and mortification, but how do you expect them to listen to you if you never speak to them?
On the other hand there is no such thing as an 
unchangeable or definitive situation. The passage of time always shows in a true light the person who works and deals honorably with everyone, with a right intention and without seeking personal interest. 
     Only those of unsteady character with a superficial formation, and without clear criteria to guide them, allow themselves to be influenced by what people say. Often this attitude, which even humanly speaking is unattractive, is backed up by the desire to avoid having a hard time, or the fear of putting one's job in danger, for example, or the desire not to be different from others in any way….

     In order to get over worrying about what people will say, we need to have a right intention, being more concerned about God's opinion than anyone else's. We also need strength to ignore small criticisms in a cheerful and imperturbable manner, and be ready to communicate the treasure which each disciple of the Lord has found. We need, too, to give good example, which is simply living coherently with the grace our Lord has placed in our hearts. It is one thing we will never regret. Even in the most difficult environments we can win souls for Christ if we really want to make those friends, colleagues and acquaintances of ours happy. Before wanting to make saints out of all those people we love, we must make them happy and joyful, for nothing better prepares a soul for grace than joy. 

from In Conversation with God  by Francis Fernandez Volume 2 pp.390-391